Stories from Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Local boards discuss future consolidation(01/18/06)An area wide open meeting was held Sunday at the Community of Christ Church in Caraway with school board members from Riverside, Manila and Buffalo Island Central taking part in a round-table discussion on the future of Buffalo Island school districts...

Christmas trees to be used at Big Lake(01/18/06)Aaron Mize, biological technician at Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge, requested Christmas tree donations to be used for fish habitat and is very pleased with the response. A drop area near the pier off Highway 18 was created after Christmas for the trees to be placed...

Riverside School Board opposes county school district formation(01/18/06)The Riverside School Board met on the Caraway campus Monday, Jan. 9, and worked though a short agenda consisting of contracts and surveys. Board President Mike Hook explained the regulations to be placed on meeting agenda, per request. About 15 people were in attendance and one had requested to be on agenda...

BIC School Board tables administration building plans(01/18/06)The Buffalo Island Central school board met on Jan. 9 and reviewed student testing, discussed construction of a new administration building, and plans to provide Pre-K school. Doris Willyerd, District test coordinator and high school counsellor, presented reports concerning student test scores from the 2004-2005 school year...

Caraway Police Chief reinstated(01/18/06)Caraway Mayor Joe South reinstated Chief of Police Jerry Vaughn during the regularly scheduled council meeting last Thursday, Jan. 12. In a prepared statement Mayor South explained the action taken to reinstate Vaughn, who has been suspended with pay for two months during the investigation of a accident on Oct. 13, 2005 involving Allie Lunsford, age 12, who was hit by a vehicle driven by Sammy Hicks...

Rebels pick up 20th win, lose stunner to Walnut Ridge(01/18/06)Riverside picked up their 20th win of the season as the Rebels rolled over Rector 70-50 in 3AA North Conference action Friday night at Caraway. Garrett Weaver poured in 21 points to lead the Rebels while Glen Graham scored 11 and Jordan Adcock tacked on 10 more. The Rebels held a slim 14-13 lead after the first period before outscoring Rector 25-10 to open up a 39-23 halftime lead. Riverside entered the final quarter with a 54-40 lead...

Lions pick up pair of 3AAA South wins(01/18/06)Cody Wells scorched the nets for 30 points to lead Manila to a 64-40 thrashing of Harrisburg Tuesday night at Manila. The 5'10' senior point guard ripped six three pointers, including four in the opening quarter as the Lions raced to an early 18-10 first period lead...

Daniel pours in 57 as Lady Lions defeat Seminoles, Hornets(01/18/06)Michelle Daniel poured in 34 points on Monday night and came back with 23 more Thursday to lead the Lady Lions to a pair of 3AAA South Conference victories. Manila got past Osceola 71-57 as Daniel scored 17 of her 34 points in the fourth quarter to preserve the win Monday night at Osceola. The Lions raced to an early 21-10 lead after the first quarter and held a 35-22 halftime advantage. Osceola battled back and pulled within 50-41 after three periods of play...

Taylor leads BIC over Mohawks, Bobcats(01/18/06)Buffalo Island Central rolled to a pair of 3AA North Conference victories last week as they stampeded Piggott 66-36 Tuesday night at Monette and then trampled Walnut Ridge 84-52 Friday night at Leachville. Brooks Taylor pumped in 30 points as the Mustangs routed the Mohawks. BIC jumped to a commanding 25-6 first period lead and led 33-19 at the half. BIC went on top 52-29 after three quarters before finishing off the Mohawks in the final frame...

BIC-Riverside II: Mustangs 49, Rebels 45(01/18/06)Round two of Riverside and Buffalo Island Central's slugfest saw the Mustangs finding themselves on the ropes late in Saturday evening's 3AA North Conference showdown at the Monette Athletic Complex. But the Mustangs answered the bell by claiming three crucial rebounds while sinking 7-8 free throws down the stretch to escape with a heart pounding 49-45 victory, extending their home winning streak to 59 straight games and their conference streak to 53...

Lady Mustangs stampede Riverside 62-46(01/18/06)Buffalo Island Central used a ferocious half-court trapping defense to cause numerous Riverside turnovers as the Lady Mustangs made like thieves in the night en route to a 62-46 stampede over the Lady Rebels Thursday night in 3AA North Conference action at the Mustang Athletic Complex...

Riverside squeezes by Rector 66-62 in overtime thriller(01/18/06)Natasha Coffey poured in 25 points to help Riverside pull out a thrilling 66-62 overtime win at Rector Monday night. The two teams battled to a 57-57 tie through four quarters before the Lady Rebels outscored Rector 9-5 in the overtime period to claim the 3AA North Conference victory...

Lady Mustangs hold off Walnut Ridge 46-37(01/18/06)Nan Lee Bridges and Ashley Tate combined for 29 points as the Buffalo Island Central Lady Mustangs held off Walnut Ridge 46-37 Monday night in 3AA North Conference action. The Lady Mustangs, playing without star guard Jessica Shepard, who sat out the game due to an injured hamstring, jumped to a 10-7 first quarter lead and held a 21-14 advantage at the half. The game remained close in the second half with BIC holding a 33-27 lead after three quarters...

Elwood Martin - Caraway(01/18/06)Elwood Martin, 63, of Caraway, formerly of Manila, died Monday, Jan. 9, 2006, at his home in Caraway. Born in Manila, he was the son of the late Robert and Elsie Baggett Martin and had been a longtime Manila area resident before making his home in Caraway. He was a retired truck driver...

Eva Dee Blocker - Leachville(01/18/06)Eva Dee Blocker, 91, of Leachville, the widow of Jack Blocker, died Thursday, Jan. 12, 2006, at her home. Born at Hollywood, Mo., she was the daughter of the late Walter and Bessie Kinchen Coburn and had been a Leachville resident for most of her life. She was a homemaker and member of the Leachville Church of Christ...

Mary Ellen Evans Davis - Ash Flat(01/18/06)Mary Ellen Evans Davis, 70, of Ash Flat, died Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2006, at White River Medical Center in Batesville. Born in Eccles, W. Vir., she lived in Ash Flat five years, formerly of Keiser. She was a homemaker and of the Baptist belief. Survivors include her husband, Jesse Franklin Davis of the home; five sons, David Wayne Davis of Osceola, Darrell Lane Davis of Ash Flat, Lance Edward Davis of Las Vegas, Nev., Michael Ray Cantrell of West Chicago, Ill., and Robert Edward Cantrell of Platzburg, N.Y.; two daughters, Shirley Ann Mayer of Hoffman Estate, Ill., and Karen Lynn Rasco of Glendale Heights, Ill.; two sisters, Audrey Weinel of Lake City, and Mildred Wardia of Kentucky; a brother, Edward Evans of Cooksville, Tenn.; 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.. ...

Jeanette Clark Smith - San Antonio, Texas(01/18/06)Jeanette Clark Smith, 83, of San Antonio, Texas, formerly of Monette, died Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2006, at St. Luke's Baptist Hospital in San Antonio. She had lived the last 10 years in San Antonio, but was born in Cardwell, Mo. She lived most of her life in Northeast Arkansas including Paragould, Leachville, Osceola and Blytheville...

Della Lorraine Johnson - Leachville(01/18/06)Della Lorraine Johnson, 94, of Leachville, widow of W.V. "Pappy" Johnson, died Friday, Jan. 13, 2006, at Monette Manor Nursing Home. Born at Marmaduke, she was the daughter of John and Jewel Ward Dortch and had been a Leachville resident since 1919. Mrs. Johnson first shared her musical talent by playing the piano at the movie theater in Leachville during the silent movie days and later as pianist of the Second Baptist Church where she and her husband were long time members...

Jimmie Lee Jones - Monette(01/18/06)Jimmie Lee Jones, 74, of Monette, died Thursday, Jan. 5, 2006, at his residence. Born and raised in Monette, he lived his working years in several different areas before returning to Monette after retiring as a meat cutter. He was a member of Monette First United Methodist Church...

Lavanda Joan Colbert Booth - Independence, Mo.(01/18/06)Lavanda Joan Colbert Booth died Friday, Jan. 6, 2006, in Independence, Mo., after a brief and courageous battle with cancer. Born on Sept. 17, 1932 in Monette, she was the youngest child of Clyde Colbert and Mary Lois Davis Colbert. She was preceded in death by her father and mother; her brothers, John L. Colbert and Doyle Colbert, and her sister, Jewel Colbert Darr...

Randy Brooks Rakestraw - Manila(01/18/06)Randy Brooks Rakestraw, 45, of Manila died Friday, Jan. 13, 2006, at Great River Medical Center in Blytheville. Born at Blytheville, he was the son of the late William Rakestraw and had lived most of his life in the Manila area. He attended Arkansas Children's Colony in Conway...

Margie Lowry - Knob(01/18/06)Margie Lowry, 82, of Knob, died Jan. 14, 2006, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. She was born in Hardy, the daughter of H.A. Scott Sr., and Gladys Ellen Murray Scott. She was a homemaker and of the Church of Christ belief. She is survived by three sons and daughters-in-law, Joe Lowry and Connie of Knob, Terry Lowry and Helen of Paragould, and Larry Hueter and Frances of Leachville; two daughters and sons-in-law, Beckey Stanfill and Winston of Paragould, and Kathy Riggan and Blue of Corning; four brothers, H.A. ...